


our turn

by AslansCompass



Category: The Librarians (TV 2014)
Genre: F/M, Post Season 4 Finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-26
Updated: 2018-02-26
Packaged: 2019-03-14 22:45:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13600023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AslansCompass/pseuds/AslansCompass
Summary: They won. The Library is safe. The Librarians are safe. But all Eve can think about is the one person she couldn't save. Spoilers for 4x11 and alt ending for 4x12





	our turn

_They did it. They actually did it._ Eve collapsed onto the bottom step in the Annex, staring as Jones, Stone, and Cass congratulate each other. She should be happy. She should be relieved, at least. Instead, she felt hollow.  

  
"Eve Baird, the greatest Guardian of all time," Flynn leaned over the railing, offering her a glass goblet.  "The Library chose wisely when it chose you."

How could he say that? She'd failed them all so many times. They'd been brain-washed, attacked, injured, set at each other's throats... the Trial, as awful as it had been, was only an exaggeration of her worst nightmares.  

> The Guardian's job is not to save the Librarians' bodies. It is to save their souls. 

Bodies or souls, it doesn't matter anymore.  Cass in the hospital, Jones after the endless game loop...and the look on all three of their faces as they set resignation letters in front of the gold urn.

"Where's Jenkins? I know he's mortal now, but I doubt he slept through that racket."

 _He doesn't know. God, no one told him!_   Eve forced herself to get up. She trudged over to the desk, picked up the urn, and held it so Flynn could read the plaque. 

"Jenk...Jenkins?" he stammered. "Jenkins? What happened?"

"Nicole, she used an artifact." Then the floodgates opened. The Trial, the nightmares, the Harness of Mahakali, sheer delight back in the Annex. She'd done it. She won.

>  "You are the Guardian. You are my Guardian." 

Of all the possible last words....the cruelest joke.  

"....And he thanked me, Flynn..."  Eve choked back tears. "Said that serving us had been the greatest pleasure of his life. Said we brought him to life."

Flynn pulled her close. "Eve, you did everything you could."

"But he's still dead."

"It wasn't your fault."

Everyone stared at Stone. "It wasn't your fault. You saved all of us. You got us out of Nicole's trap. You stopped us from making the worst mistake of our lives."

"I'm the Guardian."

"You're not superhuman.  What else could you have done?"

"Maybe if I hadn't used the scroll....if I'd looked for you sooner, Flynn..." 

Jones pulled out his phone. "Clippings book just updated."

Eve pulled herself to her feet. "Come on, team, let's go."

"No, I've got this one." Flynn interrupted, glancing at the update. "Stone, looks like we could use your skill on this one, but the rest of the team can sit this one out."

"But--"

"Hey, I've got this," Flynn repeated. 

"It's our turn to look after you," Cass laid a hand on Eve's shoulder. 


End file.
